Rotating warning bell

ABSTRACT

A railroad car-warning bell is centrally mounted on the hub of a wheel. Three opposed cylinder housings each contain a reciprocating ball which hits an end hammer to sound the bell when the wheel turns slowly up to speeds of nominally 15 mph. At higher speeds the balls are held against the end hammers, thereby automatically shutting off the bell to prevent noise pollution. The preferred embodiment has a single cylinder mounted along a diameter of the ringing bell. Three steel balls oscillate back and forth hitting a hammer at each end of the cylinder. A dampener may be used to adjust the ring of the bell.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to mechanical rotatable gongs useful formounting on railroad car wheels to warn persons of the movement of arailroad car.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 1,225,036 (1917) to Kieren discloses an alarm for cars. Agong is eccentrically mounted on the hub of a railroad or mining carwheel. Inside the gong is mounted a gong sounding mechanism consistingof a cylindrical casing having inside a reciprocating metal ball. Whenthe wheel rotates the metal ball reciprocates hitting a hammer at oneend of the cylinder, thereby sounding the gong with each revolution ofthe wheel. The device is especially suited for mining carts, which moveslowly in the dark.

The device is not suited for high-speed railroad car use because thegong would continue to sound even at high speeds. Such high speedgonging would only create noise pollution on each side of the movingtrain. Powerful whistles aimed forward are used to sound warnings ofapproaching high-speed trains.

The present invention embellishes the Kieren concept by centrallymounting a single-cylinder gong sounding mechanism. At about fifteenmiles per hour the metal balls in a cylinder having a length along adiameter of the wheel are held against its hammer by centrifugal force.Therefore, the gong stops sounding at speeds over about fifteen milesper hour. Furthermore, when the gong does sound it offers two gongs foreach rotation of the wheel, since the cylinder has a hammer at each end.This feature offers more sound as well as redundancy to providefunctionality even after mechanical failure of an individual hammer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main aspect of the present invention is to provide an alarm gong onthe rotating wheel of a vehicle which sounds only at low speeds.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide mechanicalredundancy for a simple gong sounding mechanism.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an universalmounting plate which fits several sized wheel stud bolts.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a dampener for agong.

Other aspects of this invention will appear from the followingdescription and appended claims, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein likereference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

The preferred embodiment teaches a cast aluminum, one cylinder strikerhousing with a hammer at each end. Other material choices include glassfilled nylon or a molded polymer. The cylinder houses three balls, twoend hammers and a return spring to retract the end hammer away from thegong after a strike. A gong surrounds the striker housing. The gong andstriker housing mount to a universal mounting plate which in turn isfastened to a trio of wheel studs via nuts. As the train travels at aspeed nominally set at fifteen miles per hour, the double hammers clangtwice per wheel revolution. This double striking action providesmechanical backup since the gong will sound even with one hammer down.For speeds over fifteen miles per hour the metal balls are held againstone end hammer by centrifugal force. Thus, no reciprocation of the metalballs occur, and no gonging occurs above this preset speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment three cylinderbell not having a dampener.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of an alternate three cylinder embodimenthaving a dampener.

FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the bell shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line B—B of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the striker housing of theembodiment shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the striker housing.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the mounting plate shown in FIG. 1

FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the dampener shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a side plan view, partially cutaway of the preferredembodiment single cylinder, dual hammer bell.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cylinder shown in FIG.9, with the bell and dampener removed, taken along line 10—10 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cylinder shown in FIG.9, taken from a side perspective.

Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention indetail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of the particular arrangement shown, sincethe invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminologyused herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1 a bell G of bell assembly 100 has a nominaldiameter d₁ of six inches. An acorn nut L and back washer M secures thebell G to a housing bolt J. A striker housing A is made preferably fromcast aluminum. Each cylindrical housing A₁, A₂, A₃ contains a metal ballO which via centrifugal force hits the striker C which sounds the bellG. A striker spring E retracts the striker C from the bell G, therebyallowing the bell to resonate. The striker spring E also adds to thereturn force to send the metal ball back toward, the end of the cylinderhousing opposite the striker.

A mounting plate H has wheel mounting slots 71 to accommodate severaldifferent dimensions and layouts of wheel studs of a railroad wheel (seeFIG. 3). Mounting plate bolts K, lock washers M and nuts N secure thestriker housing A to the mounting plate H. Bolts K may be welded toplate H.

In operation at speeds under about fifteen miles per hour the bellsounds. However, at speeds over fifteen miles per hour the centrifugalforce of the rotating railroad wheel forces the metal balls O againstthe striker C, and the bell stops sounding.

Referring next to FIG. 2 this preferred embodiment 101 has a dampenerassembly DA which consists of a dampener bolt S, a dampener mount P, adampener knob Q, and a dampener nose R.

Referring next to FIG. 3 a wheel V has mounting studs MS. A nut W andlock washer M secures the mounting plate H to the wheel V.

Referring next to FIGS. 4,5 and end cap D and circlip F retain thestriker spring E inside the striker housing A. A boot B environmentallyencloses the end cap D.

Referring next to FIG. 6 the housing set screw(s) I retain the end capsD in place, and/or the end cap D are held via a snap fit.

Referring next to FIG. 7 the channels 70 retain the heads of the bolts Kin place, preferably via a weld.

Referring next to FIG. 8 the dampener is shown in a side plan view. Thedampener allows adjustment of the bell's volume.

BILL OF MATERIALS ID Name Material Description Qty. A Striker HousingCast Aluminum Cast/molded 1 or molded nylon B Boot Elastomer 3 C StrikerHardened Steel Cold Formed 3 D End Cap Steel or Cold Formed 3 moldedplastic or molded E Striker Spring Spring Steel 3 28 GA (stainless) FCirclip Spring Steel 3 G Bell Machined Brass 1 or stamped steel HMounting Plate Sheet Steel 9 Stamped 1 GA, ⅛″ thick I Set Screw #5 ×{fraction (5/32)} 6 Cone Point J Housing Bolt .375 × 2.25 1 Hex HeadBolt K Mounting Plate .375 × .875 2 Bolt Hex Head Bolt L Acorn Nut ⅜Acorn Nut 1 M Lock Washer ⅜ Lock 4 Washer N Nut ⅜ Machine 3 Nut O MetalBall Steel (Or 3 Denser Material) P Dampener Mount Cast Iron (Or 1stamped Steel Var. or aluminum/ plastic Q Dampener Knob Steel Machinedpart 1 R Dampener Nose Elastomer Molded Part 1 S Dampener Bolt .375 ×1.00 1 Hex Head Bolt D₁ Six Inches

In FIG. 9 the preferred embodiment bell assembly 1000 is shown to have amounting plate H which supports a striker housing 1001. The strikerhousing 1001 comprises a single cylinder 1002 which extends across adiameter of bell G. The cylinder 1002 has two hammers 1003, 1004. Thedampener assembly DA is unchanged from FIG. 2.

Referring next to FIGS. 10,11 the cylinder 1002 has identical hammerassemblies at each end comprising a hammer (1003, 1004), a boot 1005, anend cap 1006, a circlip 1007, a spring 1008, and a hammer base 1009. Thethree steel balls 1010 create a considerable moment as they oscillatefrom one hammer base to the opposite hammer base at speeds up to about15 MPH. The bell works quite well even with two steel balls which give astrong hit to the hammer, yet offer very low coefficient of frictionwhile rolling. At higher speeds they remain at one end of the cylinder1002. The striker housing 1001 has three mounting holes 1020 for a boltattachment to the mounting plate H, wherein preferably a bolt head iswelded to the mounting plate H for nut N and lock washer M lock to. Thebolt 1030 secures the bell G.

Although the present invention has been described with reference topreferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be madeand still the result will come within the scope of the invention. Nolimitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein isintended or should be inferred.

We claim:
 1. A rotationally activated bell comprising: a center of awheel mount; a multi-cylinder striker housing secured to the mount; abell mounted adjacent the striker housing; and a reciprocating ball ineach said cylinder which hits a striker in the cylinder, therebysounding the bell upon a rotation of the striker housing.
 2. The bell ofclaim 1, wherein each said cylinder further comprises a striker springand an end cap.
 3. The bell of claim 1, wherein the striker housingfurther comprises a housing bolt for securing the bell.
 4. The bell ofclaim 1, wherein the multi-cylinder striker housing further comprisesthree said cylinders symmetrically disposed from a center of the strikerhousing.
 5. The bell of claim 1, wherein the mount further comprises amounting plate having wheel stud slots and a hole for a striker housingbolt.
 6. The bell of claim 5, wherein the mounting plate furthercomprises a channel to secure a mounting plate bolt.
 7. The bell ofclaim 1, further comprising a dampener.
 8. The bell of claim 1, furthercomprising an automatic centrifugal shutoff.
 9. A rotatably soundedwarning gong comprising: a mount for a wheel hub; a multi-cylinderstriker assembly; and a gong mounted over the multi-cylinder strikerassembly, whereby said gong is sounded upon a rotation of the strikerassembly; and wherein the mount further comprises a central mountingplate having a plurality of wheel stud slots to accommodate variouslayouts of wheel studs.
 10. The rotatably sounded warning gong of claim9, further comprising an automatic shut off mechanism, whereby arotation of the striker assembly over a preset speed terminates asounding of the gong.
 11. The rotatably sounded warning gong of claim 9,wherein the multi-cylinder striker assembly further comprises aplurality of cylinders each having a ball and a striker.
 12. Therotatably sounded warning gong of claim 11, wherein the cylinders eachhave a striker spring and an end cap.
 13. In combination with arotatable wheel having a central hub an alarm gong improvementcomprising: a mounting plate for the hub; a multi-chamber strikerassembly secured to the mounting plate; a gong mounted adjacent thestriker assembly; and a high speed shutoff mechanism incorporated withthe striker assembly; and wherein the multi-chamber striker assemblyfurther comprises a plurality of outward facing cylinder housings, eachsaid cylinder housing having an end hammer and a reciprocal ballstriking the hammer upon a rotation of the multi-chamber strikerassembly.
 14. The improvement of claim 13, wherein the mounting platefurther comprises slots for wheel studs to provide a central mount forthe mounting plate.
 15. The improvement of claim 13, wherein the highspeed shutoff mechanism comprises a centrifugal force holding the ballagainst the end hammer.
 16. The improvement of claim 13, wherein thegong further comprises a dampener.
 17. The improvement of claim 13,wherein there are three of said cylinder housings.
 18. The improvementof claim 17, wherein the multi-chamber striker assembly has a one piececonstruction.
 19. A bell assembly comprising: a striker housing having amount for a rotatable wheel; a bell mounted atop the striker housing; ahollow shaft supported by the striker housing along a diameter of thebell; said shaft having a spring loaded hammer at each of its two ends;and a reciprocatable member housed inside the shaft, wherein a rotationof the wheel causes two hammer blows to the bell each rotation.
 20. Theapparatus of claim 19, wherein the mount comprises a plate removablyattached to the striker housing, said plate having slotted mountingholes to accommodate a variety of wheel hubs.
 21. The apparatus of claim19, wherein the bell further comprises a gong covering the strikerhousing.
 22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the hollow shaft furthercomprises a cylinder.
 23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein thereciprocatable member further comprises two metal balls.